Brush-type hair curler having self-sterilizing bristles



1966 R. L. WARTHEN ETAL 3,

BRUSH-TYPE HAIR GURLER HAVING SELF-STERILIZING BRIS'I'LES Filed May 19,1964 AME/v 55a) United States Patent 3,294,009 BRUSH-TYPE HAIR CURLERHAVING SELF-STERILIZING BRISTLES Raymond L. Warthen and Loren Seely,Spirit Lake, Iowa, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Merlyn 0. Larson,

Spencer, Iowa, and Leon Pollack, Chicago, 1]].

Filed May 19, 1964, Ser. No. 368,549 2 Claims. (Cl. 13239) Thisinvention relates to a novel type of plastic filament such as may beused for making brushes, for example. More particularly, it relates toplastic filaments having incorporated therein an antibiotic orbactericidal agent in such form and concentration that the agent willcontinually exude to the surface of the filament over a relatively longperiod of time, thus keeping the filament sterile.

Brushes and other plastic articles, especially those coming in contactwith the human person, quickly become contaminated with various types ofbacteria and fungi. These may not only impart unpleasant odors to thearticles but may also become a health hazard. This is particularly truewhere the articles are in constant use in public establishments such asbarber shops and beauty parlors but is also true where the articles areonly in home use.

Where the problem is more acute, as in barber shops or beauty parlors,constant sterilization is a necessity. This is usually accomplished bykeeping the articles in sterilization chambers between successive usesand usually necessitates maintaining several sets of articles on hand sothat the articles may be kept under sterile conditions for a long enoughtime to be effective against the bacteria or fungi that haveaccumulated. Even with these precautions, sterilization is oftenineffective and there is usually no good way for the user to determinewhether the sterilization treatment is effective or not.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved plasticfilament that is self-sterilizing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plastic filament thatmay be used to manufacture brush bristles so that the brush does notneed to be treated with any external sterilizing agent to render it safefor use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plastic filament thatremains in a satisfactory sterile condition over an extended period oftime even when it is in frequent contact with people.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brush that does notneed to be kept in a sterilizer between uses on different people.

Briefly, the above and other objects are accomplished by providing afilament that comprises any one of a number of different plastics, orsynthetic resins, having incorporated therein a small percentage of oneof the sulfa compounds which are well known bactericides and anti-fungalagents. The bactericidal agent is not completely dissolved in theplastic but is partially present as a separate phase. That is, the agentis present in such form that it is not completely compatible with theplastic. The agent thus slowly and constantly exudes to the surface ofthe plastic where it is instantly available to kill any bacteria orfungi that may attempt to lodge there.

Specific examples of the invention will now be described with referenceto the accompanying drawing of which:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a threepart hair curlerincluding a brush made of bristles that incorporate the presentinvention,

FIGURE 2 is a view of the curler of FIGURE 1 in assembled form, and

FIGURE 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

3,294,099 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 It will be understood, however, thatthe specific example of a hair curler is intended to be illustrativeonly.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown ahair curler such as iscommonly used in a beauty parlor or in the home for winding strands ofhair thereon and, if desired, treating the hair with a waving lotion sothat after the hair is unwound after a period of time, a wave isimparted to the hair. The curler consists of a spiral metal spring 2over the outside of which is slipped a plastic mesh 4. Within the springportion 2 is a brush 6 of generally cylindrical shape, made of plasticbristles 8 held together by a twisted wire core 10. FIGURE 2 shows thecurler with the parts assembled. I

When the curler is in contact with hair it picks up bacteria and fungiwhich are always associated with human hair. The brush bristles areparticularly difiicult to sterilize by ordinary means sincesterilization must be done so as not to damage the plastic. And when thecurler is used in the home, proper sterilization equipment is almostnever available.

In accordance with the present invention, the brush bristles may be madein such form that they are selfsterilizing. Thus, the bristles may bemade as in accord ance :with the following specific example.

Example A composition was made up by thoroughly mixing powderedpolystyrene and powdered sulfanilamide so that the mixture contained 97%by weight of the former and 3% by weight of the latter. This mixture wasput into a 20:1 screw type extruder and filaments were extraded at atemperature of about 325 F. The polystyrene was melted in the extrusionprocess. The extruded filaments had a diameter of 0.008". The extrudedfilaments were immediately quenched in air at ordinary room temperatureor in water.

The effectiveness of these filaments in killing bacteria and fungiusually associated with human hair, was tested as follows. A standardlactose broth was made up by dissolving 13 g. of dehydrated lactosebroth culture media in 1000 ml. distilled water. The broth wassterilized by heating for 15 minutes on a boiling water bath. The testtubes, tongs and watch glasses used in this test were also similarlysterilized.

A culture of bacteria and fungi found in human hair was prepared byaddition of the bacteria and fungi to the broth described above and theculture was permitted to stand at ordinary room temperature for 24hours. A number of short lengths of filament, containing sulfanilarnide,made as described above, were then dipped into the aged culture, allowedto stand 30 minutes in air and placed in a sterile broth solution. Thesewere permitted to stand at ordinary room temperature for another 48hours. For purposes of comparison, another set of polystyrene filaments,without added sulfanilamide, was first dipped in the 24 hour culturecontaining bacteria and fungi, allowed to stand 30 minutes in air and,then :was placed in a different container of sterile broth and thesefilaments were also permitted to stand for 48 hours at ordinary roomtemperature.

At the end of 48 hours both sets of filaments were cornpared. Thecontrol filaments and culture media were completely saturated withcolonies of bacteria including surface colonies. The filaments andculture media containing the sulfanilamide had no surface colonies ofbacteria, and the culture media likewise was free of bacteria and fungi.

It will be recognized that the above test is much more severe than wouldbe imposed by actual conditions of use in the home or even in a barbershop or beauty parlor.

Filaments have been extruded using other proportions of polystyrene andsulfanilamide and the preferred range has been found to be 98%polystyrene-2% sulfanilamide to 95% polystyrene-5% sulfanilamide. Usingless than about 2% sulfanilamide, the sterilizing effect was undesirablyweak and using too high a percentage of sulfanilamide resulted inincomplete mixing of the two ingredient s, and weakened the filaments toan undesirable degree.

The temperature used to extrude the filaments depends upon theparticular grade of polystyrene selected. It may range from about 325 F.to about 500 F.

Plastics other than polystyrene may also be used. Examples of othersuitable plastics are the fiber forming polyamides (nylons) and thelinear fiber-forming polyesters.

Bactericidal agents other than sulfanilamide may also be used. Examplesof other suitable agents are sulfathiazole and sulfadiazine.

The diameter of the extruded filaments is not particularly critical. -Inmaking brushes, for example, any bristle diameter from extremely fine tocoarse may be used, such as from .008" to .017" diameter.

From among the many types of bactericidal agents that may be used andthe wide variety of plastics with which these may be mixed, it is mainlyessential that the combination be such that the two differentingredients remain as separate and distinct phases yet partiallydissolved and homogenous in the extruded product so that thebactericidal agent can continue to exude to the surface over an extendedperiod of time. The bactericide must also be somewhat soluble in wateras moisture is essential in the exudation and bactericidal activity.

It is also necessary that the bactericidal agent be completely stable atthe temperature at which the filament is extruded.

Although the invention has been described with particular reference tothe manufacture of a plastic filament for use as the bristle of a brush,it should be understood that the plastic filament of the invention maybe used as a thread to form the plastic mesh of the hair curler or forother uses where it is desired to maintain a filament or a threadsterile.

What is claimed is:

1. A hair curler comprising a wire spring, a plastic mesh body supportedby and surrounding said spring, and a brush disposed within said springand having bristles the ends of which extend through said mesh, saidbrush being made of self-sterilizing bristles comprising a filamentarysynthetic resinous material having incorporated therein a smallpercentage of a powdered bactericidal agent which is partiallyincompatible with said synthetic resinous material.

2. A hair curler comprising a plastic mesh body, a brush disposed withinsaid mesh body and having bristles the ends of which extend through saidmesh body, said brush being made of self-sterlizing bristles comprisinga filamentary synthetic resinous material having incorporated therein asmall percentage of a powdered bactericidal agent which is partiallyincompatible with said synthetic resinous material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,099,688 11/1937Hill et al 21-58 X 2,099,888 11/1937 Hill 21-58 X 2,507,299 5/ 1950DAlelio et al 15-159 2,629,682 2/1953 Rosenzweig et al. 16751.5 X2,751,910 6/1956 Howes 128-3355 3,050,070 8/ 1962 Sidelman 132-393,106,213 10/1963 Clare 132-40 FOREIGN PATENTS 577,047 5/ 1946 GreatBritain.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

R. L. F-RINKS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A HAIR CURLER COMPRISING WIRE SPRING, A PLASTIC MESH BODY SUPPORTEDBY AND SURROUNDING SAID SPRING, AND A BRUSH DISPOSED WITHIN SAID SPRINGAND HAVING BRISTLES THE ENDS OF WHICH EXTEND THROUGH SAID MESH, SAIDBRUSH BEING MADE OF SELF-STERILIZING BRISTLES COMPRISING A FILAMENTARYSYNTHETIC RESINOUS MATERIAL HAVING INCORPORATED THEREIN A SMALLPERCENTAGE OF A POWDERED BACTERICIDAL AGENT WHICH IS PARTIALLYINCOMPATIBLE WITH SAID SYNTHETIC RESINOUS MATERIAL.